BVI News

I did not visit St Lucia to recruit a new head of prison — Walwyn

Walwyn

Myron Walwyn, the minister who jointly holds responsibility for local prison with the governor, has refuted claims that he visited St Lucia several months ago to recruit Verne Garde as the new Superintendent of Prison for the BVI.

Whispers of Walwyn’s alleged ‘recruitment mission’ began circulating around the time Garde – the former director of St Lucia’s adult penitentiary – was announced as the new Superintendent of Her Majesty’s Prison in Balsam Ghut, Tortola.

But while speaking on radio Monday evening, Walwyn made it clear that he only visited St Lucia to check on the 21 BVI inmates who had been temporarily transferred to St Lucia’s penitentiary after Hurricane Irma compromised the BVI’s prison facility.

Walwyn described his visit to the country as his ‘obligation’ as the minister responsible for prison.

“We had to ensure that those obligations were properly carried out notwithstanding the fact they (BVI inmates) were in another jurisdiction,” Walwyn said.

He further said the process of hiring a new prison boss for the BVI was done completely independent of him.

“The hiring of a St Lucian as the head of our prison — that was done by a clear and transparent process … A panel was put in place, it went through the Public Service Commission, and the governor signed off on it,” Walwyn said.

He added: “As a matter of courtesy, he (the governor) asked me and he said to me ‘this was the person who was selected’ and if I had any objections. I couldn’t possibly have any objections because, of course, it went through a particular process.”

When BVI News contacted Superintendent Garde Tuesday morning, he also corroborated Walwyn’s assertion. Garde said he and the minister did not have any discussions about his now employment as BVI’s prison boss.

Garde was hired on a two-year contract which officially began on July 2.

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40 Comments

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  1. ndp heckler says:

    Why all these politicians lieing so?

    Like 20
    Dislike 9
  2. Good says:

    NDP radio was very informative and cleared up a lot of the foolishness that has been going around. The hatred for Myron Walwyn is off the charts and I really don’t understand it.

    Like 21
    Dislike 21
    • To good says:

      Please!!! Nice try. Satan was trying to correct sin.

      Like 18
      Dislike 8
      • Guido says:

        If you believed every word then I got an airline investment opportunity for you and other liked minded progressive intellectuals. Wil fly 4 times a day from TBLIAA to NY and MIA – only need $29 million to find it. It will have a Willy T styled bar and hairdressing salon on our Airbus!! Look out for our investment portfolio coming soon.

        Like 20
        Dislike 8
    • Nancy says:

      It is all because his Parents were born in Antigua.

      Yet his detractors ignore the fact that he was Born in Tortola.

      And this animosity is being pushed by so-called “adults.”

  3. bvi says:

    He said and i quote “We can no longer make laws to protect bvislanders”

    Like 21
    Dislike 12
    • Sick and Tired says:

      he full of bull#$@# so who should the laws protect? every one but us??

      Why they keep thinking BVI ppl stupid??

      Like 17
      Dislike 7
    • @bvi says:

      That is rubbish. He said we need to prepare our young people for the future if we want them to take up their rightful place in their country. What he said is we cannot just sit back and make laws to protect locals while not preparing them for the opportunities that will become available in the Territory and it makes perfect sense. We do not need Government spoon feeding us as locals just for the hell of it. We need Government to facilitate growth, development, education and opportunities for all of us.

      Like 25
      Dislike 8
      • Bumpy says:

        Is that why the Elmore Stoutt HS paying $30k monthly and the campus in town is still in shambles over a year on! What’s the priorities? Re-election is their ultimate focus

        Like 15
        Dislike 5
        • @Bumpy says:

          What does that have to do with anything? So you’re happy to mention the school that is not fixed but conveniently say nothing about the ones that are fixed? Wow!

          Like 7
          Dislike 6
          • Jaigon says:

            @@Bumpy, he should take no credit for any of the schools that got fixed. Ask yourself who fixed them. If it left to Government alone, nothing will get fix because the squandered all the money and seems not to be able to fixed anything from a Government standpoint.

            Like 9
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    • SUE says:

      THAT IS WHY HE NOT BE ELECTED HE WANT TO LIVE COMFORTABLE AND TORTOLIAN SHOULD SUCK THEIR FINGER THAT IS HOW THEY WANT TO TAKE OVER WHAT OUR DECENDANTS FIGHT SO HARD FOR SET OF N/ //// //////.

      Like 6
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  4. Yes, says:

    there should have been one objection, request question oriented response.

    Are there any locals that are qualified to execute the job?

    Have all possible local potential been vetted and disqualified?

    Like 11
    Dislike 4
  5. Shaun says:

    Name one local that could or should have been selected for the job? Name one.

    Like 12
    Dislike 10
    • First says:

      Before that, name a local who even wanted the damn job. We just love to chat for chatting sake sometimes. Not once has anyone questioned the new Prison Head’s qualifications but they’re still making a set of noise.

      Like 14
      Dislike 14
    • Brad Boynes says:

      That man who used to be in Immigration Hill could do that jobut hands down but thenot again , was he interested? We don’t know but qualification he does have.

  6. Eyes wide shut says:

    Beside this appointment, there is a very sutle movement to unseat as many locals as possible. It is how the elite country takes control. Unseat and remove the persons that knows each other and break the seamless bvi unity then inject as many persons under the disguise of “qualified” yep that all to familiar phrase “qualified” and then whats that is establish they will gently remove most bvi islanders from having anything to do with leadership and then eventually take the country from us. #staywokemypeople#staywoke

    Like 20
    Dislike 10
  7. Rubber Duck says:

    Why do people imagine there would be all this expertise in a very small population with a lousy education system? Look at the civil service and see what you get when you give people jobs on birthright and not on merit.

    Like 16
    Dislike 14
    • Right says:

      EXACTLY!! We would ALL SUFFER if the Government just passed laws just because they favor locals. An economy cannot run on such a simplistic ideology. Education, exposure, opportunities are what’s needed to grow an economy. Let’s pass a law that says only locals can own Trust Companies and Banks. As opposed to educating our people so they can run/own their own Trust Companies and banks.

      Like 14
      Dislike 4
    • @Rubber duck says:

      Are you now admitting that the education system is lousy and producing substandard students? I thought just a few days ago people from other Caribbean islands wanted to model our program. What happen all of a sudden now you want to make gradually look like fools and calling down the system. In your defense of MW, please make up your mind buddy!!!! For the first time I see why you are a Rubber Duck.

  8. Hmmm says:

    This man is dividing the BVI forever

    Like 9
    Dislike 17
  9. NDP 100% says:

    My fellow NDP voters, we haveeee to shut these haters down.

    Like 16
    Dislike 13
  10. @Sick & Tired says:

    The BVI laws already protect BVIslanders more than any other Island/Territory in the Region, do some research and you will see!! The reason why we love to complain is because some of us need an excuse for why we aren’t doing better with ourselves despite so many measures put in place by those that came before us. We have to pretend to be victims as reasoning for our own failures, that’s all it is. NO other island/country in this Region has the level of local protectionism in the manner that the BVI does, NONE!

    Like 18
    Dislike 11
    • @@sick & tired says:

      Now come on. Our laws may have more protectionism than any other island in the Caribbean, but they are sure as hell not being followed. Which other Island’s Civil Service is jam packed with non-nationals, hence receiving pension? How many have to sit down as a national and read the hate spewed on their blogs about them daily, comparing themselves against nationals and being downright hateful? If the BVI is such a bad place to live for people from other countries, why are we outnumbered in our own country? Now it is being said that this next election will be about BVIslanders against Belongers and children born here to expat parents. Well I trust in God and can see Satan’s hands at work here for this is probably the last place on earth where someone can tell Immigration they are here on vacation for two weeks and next time you see them they are bragging how they are here 10 years, 18 years and have already relocated all their children. If that is hate, well something is wrong and only God can help us now and put this right.

  11. Inviting the Invaders says:

    This man is determined to allow this country to be taken over and our children slaves in their own country

    Like 8
    Dislike 14
  12. Brad Boynes says:

    The hill man was qualified.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
    • Qualified BVI says:

      Don’t mind them. There will always be an issue with every QUALIFIED BVIslander. They are hell bent on replacing us with St. Lucians, Trinidadians, and every other island as long as they do not waive a BVI flag. We were good enough to build this country, but we are not good enough to take it where it needs to go…so our votes are also not good enough to give them.

      Like 15
      Dislike 10
  13. say i say so says:

    Is this particular minister is a threat to the national security of the BVI?

    Like 5
    Dislike 4
  14. Socrates says:

    How does one know if most politicians are lieing? Is if their lips are moving? Did anyone expect the MEC to admit that he went to St. Lucia to recruit Mr. Garde for Supt of Prison? Would It not have been earth shattering if Mr. Garde had not back up what Walwyn said, having heard his story? Will a St. Lucian be appointed Principal of ESHS? Should the jail be jointly operated by NDP government and Governor? Should its operation fall under the local government? Are Virgin Islanders at the point of extinction?

    Like 6
    Dislike 2
  15. Bart says:

    If you believe this story I have a plane to sell, will fly from BVI to Miami and back. I will hire locals as staff and crew. $8 million, I’ll even throw in a wall for the High School.

    Like 5
    Dislike 3
  16. think he smart says:

    The reason why he put those 4 expat children to run atlarge is because he wants the local dummy politicians to run district and carry those dead atlarges.

    Like 2
    Dislike 2
  17. concerned voter says:

    Don’t like hs agenda.Wants to legalize marijuana and same sex marriage.As a Christian,I strongly object.He is not qualified to handle finance and does not like to follow rules and procedures.Reminds me of Donald Trump as regards the latter.

    Like 2
    Dislike 4
  18. Anonymous says:

    Hypocrisy, class prejudice and local against local oppresion do more damage to people by those who practice them than any marijuana plant has or will ever do.

  19. BVI 100 says:

    I have nothing to say about Hon.
    Walwyn’s lineage. But as a BVIslander quietly watching, I must say Tortola must be the most generous and kind to expats from our Sister Islands. We are the only island where you can move, lock, stock and barrel, whole family and make a wonderful living with lots of US currency in the bank. Government jobs are applied for and received, no problem. They even get allowances like living allowance etc that BVIslanders will never get as well as gratuity. The private sector jobs are also freely applied for and received. Now the only problem they have is they want more and that is astounding when there is no reciprocity. No BVIslander can go to other Caribbean countries and walk into a nice, cushy civil service position. You mad?! No. It won’t happen. So when a Minister of Government talk piddle about members of his party speaking about his lineage, hogwash. Rumours like the rumour his friend is running with him, that’s all this. So we might just have to let the Minister know all BVIslanders are not stupid. And nobody has to follow him or let him lead them if they don’t want to. It is their democratic right. That makes them brilliant in my book. So please, Minister, let your parents rest in peace.

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  20. Ausar says:

    Sir, you are right!

    You went down there to recruit persons to fill ALL vacant leadership positions in this country, thats all…

    I got it!

  21. @@sick & tired says:

    Now come on. Our laws may have more protectionism than any other island in the Caribbean, but they are sure as hell not being followed. Which other Island’s Civil Service is jam packed with non-nationals, hence receiving pension? How many have to sit down as a national and read the hate spewed on their blogs about them daily, comparing themselves against nationals and being downright hateful? If the BVI is such a bad place to live for people from other countries, why are we outnumbered in our own country? Now it is being said that this next election will be about BVIslanders against Belongers and children born here to expat parents. Well I trust in God and can see Satan’s hands at work here for this is probably the last place on earth where someone can tell Immigration they are here on vacation for two weeks and next time you see them they are bragging how they are here 10 years, 18 years and have already relocated all their children. If that is hate, well something is wrong and only God can help us now and put this right.

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